IHG One Rewards Credit Card vs United Gateway Card

Both cards cost $0/yr. The IHG One Rewards Credit Card leads on dining; the United Gateway Card on gas stations.

Card data as of November 13, 2026.

Overview

Annual fee
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
$0
United Gateway Card
$0
Welcome offerCurrent public offer
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
125,000 points
United Gateway Card
Up to 50,000 miles
Rewards
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
IHG One Rewards
United Gateway Card
United MileagePlus
Foreign transaction fee
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
None
United Gateway Card
None
Network
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
Mastercard World Elite
United Gateway Card
Visa Signature

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Dining
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
3x
Highest
United Gateway Card
1x
Gas Stations
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
3x
Highest
United Gateway Card
2x
Grocery Stores
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
3x
Highest
United Gateway Card
1x
Ridesharing
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
2x
United Gateway Card
2x
Transit
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
2x
United Gateway Card
2x
Everything else
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
2x
Highest
United Gateway Card
1x

Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record

Travel
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
—
United Gateway Card
  • 25% United inflight
Dining & delivery
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • DoorDash DashPass
  • $10/mo Instacart+
United Gateway Card
—
Other credits
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
—
United Gateway Card
  • 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases

Perks & access— means none on record

Hotel status & programs
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Gold Elite after $15,000 in calendar-year purchases
  • IHG Silver Elite status
  • 4th Reward Night Free on Points Stays
United Gateway Card
—
Airline perks
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
—
United Gateway Card
  • Earn 2 checked bag certificates after $10K annual spend
Other perks
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • $0 Foreign Transaction Fees
  • 30% off reward points
United Gateway Card
  • No foreign transaction fees

Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record

Trip insurance
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance · up to $5,000
United Gateway Card
  • Trip cancellation coverage up to $6,000 per trip
Baggage
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Baggage Delay Insurance · up to $100
  • Lost Luggage Reimbursement · up to $3,000
United Gateway Card
—
Rental car
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
—
United Gateway Card
  • Rental car insurance (secondary coverage)
Purchase & returns
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Purchase Protection · up to $500
United Gateway Card
  • Purchase protection up to $500 per item for 120 days
Extended warranty
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
—
United Gateway Card
  • Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty

Pros & cons

Pros
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • No annual fee with automatic Silver Elite status
  • Fourth night free on reward stays of 4+ nights (from 2027, after $5,000 of annual spend)
  • 3x earning on dining, grocery stores and gas stations
  • 2x earning on all other purchases (above-average base rate)
  • Path to Gold Elite with $15,000 annual spend
United Gateway Card
  • No annual fee ever
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 2x miles on United purchases, gas stations, and local transit/rideshare
  • 25% back on United inflight purchases and Club premium drinks
  • 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases
Cons
IHG One Rewards Credit Card
  • Silver Elite status provides minimal benefits
  • Lower earning rate at IHG properties (5x vs 10x on Premier)
  • Only 5 Elite Night Credits a year
  • No annual free night certificate
  • $15,000 spend requirement for Gold status is steep
United Gateway Card
  • No automatic free checked bags (must spend $10K to unlock)
  • No priority boarding
  • Lower earn rates than premium United cards (2x vs 3x to 5x on United)
  • No Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
  • No annual travel credits
Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

Category-by-Category Winner

The IHG One Rewards Credit Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The United Gateway Card leads in 0.

W

Dining

IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X

W

Gas Stations

IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X

W

Grocery Stores

IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X

W

Everyday purchases

IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X

Year One vs Ongoing Value

Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.

Both scenarios favor the IHG One Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).

ScenarioIHG One Rewards Credit CardUnited Gateway CardOngoing winnerYear-one winner
Light spender: $1,000/month
Rewards: $173
Credits (our usable estimate): $15
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $188
Year one: $938
Rewards: $158
Credits (our usable estimate): $0
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $158
Year one: $638
IHG One Rewards Credit CardIHG One Rewards Credit Card
Heavy spender: $4,000/month
Rewards: $691
Credits (our usable estimate): $15
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $706
Year one: $1,456
Rewards: $634
Credits (our usable estimate): $0
− Annual fee ($0)
Ongoing: $634
Year one: $1,114
IHG One Rewards Credit CardIHG One Rewards Credit Card

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing IHG One Rewards Credit Card means losing:

  • -Free checked bags

Which Card Is Right for You?

Get the IHG One Rewards Credit Card if you:

  • +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
  • +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
  • +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending

The Bottom Line

Both scenarios favor the IHG One Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).

Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the IHG One Rewards Credit Card vs 1X on the other card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Credit Card or United Gateway Card?
The IHG One Rewards Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?
The IHG One Rewards Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.
Should I get the IHG One Rewards Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?
Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.